Hello all. I have a 2011 Titanium X model and this has Daylight Running Lights (DRL) built into the headlight unit as standard. The DRL on the passenger side has now stopped working, meaning I now also don't have sidelights on the passenger side. All other bulbs are working fine.

I've had the headlight unit out but can't see a way of being able to get to the DRL part of the headlight, and I've looked in the owners manual and this makes no reference to DRL lights at all. It doesn't even mention anything in the fuse section about this.

Does anyone have any advice/knowledge on what I can check? Any common faults with DRL? It looks like the DLR part of the headlight is a sealed unit but surely there must be a way to get the DRL working again without having to replace the entire headlight unit.

Thanks.

The LED DRLs are meant to last the lifetime of the car.  There is no replacement procedure.

38 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

The LED DRLs are meant to last the lifetime of the car.  There is no replacement procedure.

Well that seems ridiculous, and I'm guessing despite that claim Ford don't cover that with a lifetime guarantee. Sounds like I will need to turn to eBay then and try to find a replacement.

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

The LED DRLs are meant to last the lifetime of the car.  ..

That's the big myth with LEDs! Even domestic bulbs usually state something ridiculous like 50,000 hours. I've used LEDs since they were commercially available - they blow as frequently as old fashioned halogens. My neighbour just paid £400 for a used rear light cluster on his BMW which had a non replaceable LED brake light (soldered into the circuit board) - all a con...

Non replaceable LEDs, unit is scrap or you could try to split the casing and solder in new LEDS or the control unit, whichever is gone, a computer repair shop should be able to fix them, once you get them out (if you can, they went in)

22 minutes ago, DaveT70 said:

Non replaceable LEDs, unit is scrap or you could try to split the casing and solder in new LEDS or the control unit, whichever is gone, a computer repair shop should be able to fix them, once you get them out (if you can, they went in)

I can see a future industry starting up, 'repairing' non repairable LED units, in the same way there is an industry repairing focus instrument clusters!

22 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

I can see a future industry starting up, 'repairing' non repairable LED units, in the same way there is an industry repairing focus instrument clusters!

It should be doable, it's just the art of getting to them in a sealed unit

So it would seem that the headlight is basically knackered then, unless I prise the unit open and do some soldering, and then manage to seal the unit again.

I doubt a new headlight unit from Ford would be what I would consider to be a fair price, so I've been looking at 2nd hand but so far not seen any like I have on the car. Would it cause any issues if I just got a pair of standard Focus headlights without the DRL LED feature? It could be that replacing both sides with standard headlights might be cheaper than replacing the one unit like for like.  

 

It's the gamble that the 2nd hand replacement doesn't have the same issue or it fails three months later.

New would be very expensive, if available.

Downgrading to Halogen would require some wiring modifications plus configuration changes using FORScan

I would be tempted to call around some electronic engineers to see if they'd be able to repair the fault (board issue, module issue or even replacing a dodgy LED) ,crack open the unit and get it done, you could reseal a clean cut using windscreen adhesive

Just checked on the Ford website and the new replacement would be £1,314.29 !!!!!!!!

So basically it's take a chance on 2nd hand if I can find one, or I'm going to need an electrical engineer. 

4 minutes ago, Ricardo78 said:

new replacement would be £1,314.29

Does that include a new car ? 🤣

4 minutes ago, Ricardo78 said:

Just checked on the Ford website and the new replacement would be £1,314.29 !!!!!!!!

That's not bad, a mate was quoted £3700 for a replacement LED headlight for an Audi Q7! Like I said, LED lights, a wee bit of a con...

What is the part number of the headlight that you need ?

3 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

That's not bad, a mate was quoted £3700 for a replacement LED headlight for an Audi Q7! Like I said, LED lights, a wee bit of a con...

Presumably that's a fully adaptive pixel LED setup though...  Not just a string of LEDs glued to the bottom of a Xenon cluster.

Just now, TomsFocus said:

Presumably that's a fully adaptive pixel LED setup though...  Not just a string of LEDs glued to the bottom of a Xenon cluster.

20 years ago he could have popped into Halfords and got himself a £20 bulb, that's technology for you 🤣

1 minute ago, StephenFord said:

20 years ago he could have popped into Halfords and got himself a £20 bulb, that's technology for you 🤣

Fully adaptive LEDs are very cool in fairness.  They're a long way from a single bulb in terms of functionality.  They can pick out road signs and illuminate bends and even light up the whole area around another vehicle without blinding the driver.  Not to mention aesthetically looking far better than those horrible old satellite dish reflectors we used to be stuck with!  

Hate the look of halogen reflectors myself.  Paid extra for the Xenons on the Mk2 Focus.  And LEDs on my latest Golf.

49 minutes ago, unofix said:

What is the part number of the headlight that you need ?

Pretty sure it'll be xenon, DRL and chrome bezel.  1856842.  FORD FOCUS FRONT N/S HEAD LIGHT LAMP UNIT XENON HID 11-14 | Ford Online Shop UK

It is 30% cheaper on eBay - Genuine Ford Focus Mk3 Front N/S Head Light Lamp Unit Xenon HID 2011-14 1856842 | eBay

 

23 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Pretty sure it'll be xenon, DRL and chrome bezel.  1856842.  FORD FOCUS FRONT N/S HEAD LIGHT LAMP UNIT XENON HID 11-14 | Ford Online Shop UK

It is 30% cheaper on eBay - Genuine Ford Focus Mk3 Front N/S Head Light Lamp Unit Xenon HID 2011-14 1856842 | eBay

 

Yep, that's what I have, aren't I lucky 🤬 

Even at the discounted eBay price it is still ridiculous. Might end up having to be without a car at this rate as I can't afford to replace the headlight at those prices and it's MOT is in a couple of weeks time. Calling it a con is an understatement. 

 

1 minute ago, Ricardo78 said:

Yep, that's what I have, aren't I lucky 🤬 

Even at the discounted eBay price it is still ridiculous. Might end up having to be without a car at this rate as I can't afford to replace the headlight at those prices and it's MOT is in a couple of weeks time. Calling it a con is an understatement. 

That is the problem with older cars unfortunately.  The parts prices never drop so it makes higher spec cars uneconomical to maintain at 10 years old or more.  Also means that the car can be written off by something as simple as a minor carpark bump if it hits a headlight or powerfold-mirror for example.  I am a luxury spec fan myself, but would avoid higher spec trims if I had to go back to an older car again.

Must admit, I was hoping to find you an aftermarket light cluster made by Depo or Hella.  Those are often used for crash repairs on other cars.  But I can't find any aftermarkets for the MK3 Xenons at all.  I guess they may just have been too uncommon to make it worthwhile creating aftermarket versions.  You could contact a local accident repair centre to see if they know of any aftermarket versions for these.

Mmm... Just had to comment, I can get replacement full headlight units for my old jallopy on eBay for £15...

.

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

Not to mention aesthetically looking far better than those horrible old satellite dish reflectors we used to be stuck with!  

Hate the look of halogen reflectors myself

Ah, but for aesthetics you can't beat the pair of searchlights on an old blower Bentley.

5 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

That is the problem with older cars unfortunately.  The parts prices never drop so it makes higher spec cars uneconomical to maintain at 10 years old or more.  Also means that the car can be written off by something as simple as a minor carpark bump if it hits a headlight or powerfold-mirror for example.  I am a luxury spec fan myself, but would avoid higher spec trims if I had to go back to an older car again.

Must admit, I was hoping to find you an aftermarket light cluster made by Depo or Hella.  Those are often used for crash repairs on other cars.  But I can't find any aftermarkets for the MK3 Xenons at all.  I guess they may just have been too uncommon to make it worthwhile creating aftermarket versions.  You could contact a local accident repair centre to see if they know of any aftermarket versions for these.

This is the first time I've had headlights with LEDS in them, and it never entered my head that it would be designed in this way. Lesson well and truly learnt. 

Just now, Ricardo78 said:

This is the first time I've had headlights with LEDS in them, and it never entered my head that it would be designed in this way. Lesson well and truly learnt. 

It's not just the LEDs to be fair, it's mainly the self-levelling Xenons that make this particular cluster so expensive.

Quite rare as they were only fitted to high spec ST's and Titanium X's as standard.

The basic Mk3 Focus halogen cluster only costs about £230 brand new.  Or £50 used.

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

It's not just the LEDs to be fair, it's mainly the self-levelling Xenons that make this particular cluster so expensive.

Quite rare as they were only fitted to high spec ST's and Titanium X's as standard.

The basic Mk3 Focus halogen cluster only costs about £230 brand new.  Or £50 used.

Yes I'd noticed the price of the basic headlights so was hoping might be able to plug these in instead.

Going to get in touch with some breakers but think it might be a case of just having to wait for one to come up, and while I'm waiting may end up trying to take this one apart as I nothing to lose.